How to Begin

Many Americans have Scottish roots, whether they descend from 18th and 19th century settlers emigrating directly from Scotland, or from Scots-Irish emigrants from Ulster. In either case, successful research in Scottish records will depend upon determining an approximate date of birth or marriage for the Scottish-born ancestor and identifying the place of origin. This task is easier for the 19th century emigrant because of the abundance of resources in Scotland, including civil registrations of vital records from 1855. Those searching for earlier emigrants have fewer sources available and must rely on church books, legal records, and other public documents. Sometimes members of the same parish in Scotland settled together in the New World; thus, beginning researchers should also fully examine American records, such as county histories, death certificates, obituaries, church registers, and family Bibles for clues.

Using the Department Catalogs

There are several ways of identifying books on Scotland and the Scots in the library’s online catalog found at www.ACPL.Lib.in.us. Look under Scotland followed by the name of a record type; for example: Scotland. Directories. One can also look under a subject, or under a specific place, author, or title, if known. An extensive collection of Scottish records is found under the heading, Scottish Record Society. The online catalog allows for flexible keyword searching, and includes most all of the department's book collection. Dial-up access is available at (260) 489-7087. One should also check the Family History Library Catalog at www.FamilySearch.org for other references. Researchers with further questions about the collection or catalogs should ask a librarian for assistance.

Bloxham, V. Ben. Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland from the Earliest Times through 1854. Provo, UT: Brigham Young University Press, 1970. /Gc 941.0004 Sco8aa/ A guide to church records by parish, with dates and Family History Library film numbers.

Cory, Kathleen B. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry. 2nd ed. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996. /Gc 929 C792t, 1997/ A good, basic guide which discusses research at New Register House and other repositories. Includes illustrations of records, a lengthy appendix with addresses and a list of parishes with register dates.

Gazetteers & Maps

Gazetteers are useful for locating places in Scotland and determining the relevant record-keeping jurisdictions to which they belong. The following list of sources can help the researcher obtain more information about the ancestral place of origin, once it is determined.

Passenger & Emigration Lists

Numerous directories of Scottish immigrants have been compiled for the United States and Canada. Many of these provide clues about places of origin in Scotland. In addition, passenger lists from U.S. ports, beginning in 1820, are relatively complete and available on microfilm.

Dobson, David. Directory of Scots Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775. Baltimore: Clearfield, 1990. /Gc 929.122 D65di/ More than forty volumes of reference material on Scottish immigrants have been compiled by David Dobson. For additional titles, check the online catalog under his name and limit the search to the Genealogy Department.

Vital Records

Many Scottish vital records before 1855, including church records and tombstone inscriptions, have been indexed and published. In addition to the records listed below, church registers from Melrose, Linlithgow, Durness, Dumbarton, and Dunfermline, and marriages in Edinburgh, 1595 1800, have been published in the Scottish Record Society series (Gc 941.0004 Sc087s).

International Genealogical Index. Salt Lake City, UT: Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. /www.FamilySearch.org /

Surname Index to Christenings/Marriages in Old Parochial Registers to 1855 (O.P.R.). Salt Lake City, UT: Genealogical Department. /microfiche/ An extensive index to baptisms and marriages from Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) church registers to 1855.

Probate, Land & Legal Records

The Scots were not permitted to dispose of their real property through wills until the last half of the 19th century. Instruments for disposing moveable property were called "testaments" and include the Testament Testamentar, when one died intestate, and Testament Dative, when one died testate. Testaments were probated in a specific Commissary Court before 1823. To determine the proper jurisdiction, consult the following:

Because real property could not be inherited through wills, heirs had to prove their right to the land. The act of proving this right, or of transferring the land to another grantee, is known as a sasine. Many sasine records before 1780 have been indexed and published in a series of volumes by the General Register House (Gc 941.0004 Sc084i). The following areas are included: Argyll, Dumbarton, Bute, Arran, and Tarbert (1617-1780); Berwick and Lauderdale (1617-1780); Banff (1600-1780); Aberdeen (1599-1660); Lanark (1618-1780); Kincardineshire (1600-1657); Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Annandale (1617- 1780); Ayr, Kyle, Carrick, and Cunningham (1599-1660); Caithness (1646-1780); Edinburgh, Haddington, Linlithgow, and Bathgate (1599-1660); Elgin and Nairn (1617-1700); Fife and Kinross (1603-1660); Inverness, Ross, Cromarty, and Sutherland (1606-1780); and Forfar (1620- 1700). A yearly index to Scottish deeds (1663-1694) is included in this series. Several other useful compilations of probate, land and legal records have been published:

A List of Persons Concerned in the Rebellion ...7th May 1746. Edinburg: Scottish History Society, 1890. /Gc 941.0006 Sco1p, volume 8/ A list of rebels from the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, with occupation, residence, acts of rebellion, and legal disposition. An important volume, since many rebels emigrated to America.

Scotland Owners of Lands and Heritages, 1872-1873. Edinburgh: Murray & Gibb, 1874. Murray & Gibb, 1874. /Gc 941.0004 Sco8s, oversize/ Lists all owners of one or more acres of land in 1872.

Surnames, Clans, Nobility & Heraldry

Some of the guides below discuss the history of clans and the use of heraldry. They may help the researcher narrow the geographic area of search in Scotland for an uncommon surname. Check the Genealogy Department's catalogs under the name of the family for previously compiled genealogies on individual Scottish families.

Stuart, Margaret. Scottish Family History: A Guide to Works of Reference on the History and Genealogy of Scottish Families. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1930. /Gc 016.929122 St9s/ Abibliography of hundreds of genealogical books and articles on Scottish families.

Periodicals

The Genealogy Department houses a collection of some Scottish and Scottish-American genealogical periodicals. Check the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) under the name of the Scottish family or locality for citations to relevant articles. Most periodical titles are now listed in the online catalog. A useful guide to serial publications is the following:

Audio Cassettes

Audio cassettes of Scottish lecture subjects at national genealogical conferences can be checked out at the Genealogy Reference Desk by any patron. Check with a librarian if you want to know about these tapes.